The Israeli military says the sixth and final hostage was released by Hamas in the latest exchange on Saturday and has arrived back in Israel even as heightened tensions clouded the future of the fragile ceasefire deal.

Six living hostages are back home in Israel after Hamas released them in the seventh and final phase of the agreement as the handoff of 620 Palestinian prisoners was indefinitely delayed.

Hamas freed six hostages from Gaza on Saturday, the last living Israeli captives slated for release under the first phase of a fragile ceasefire accord, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

Five of the captives were handed over in staged ceremonies that the Red Cross and Israel have condemned in the past — brought out by masked, armed Hamas fighters in front of hundreds of Palestinians before being transferred to Red Cross vehicles.

Hamas released six hostages from Gaza on Saturday, handing over the final living captives whom the warring sides agreed would be freed when a ceasefire began last month. Israel is due to release about 600 Palestinian detainees in exchange.

Six Israeli hostages were released by Hamas on Saturday as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal. Why it matters: All living hostages who were part of the first phase of the ceasefire deal have been now been released.